Fresh Water Impeller on 240 BR with 8.2 Merc

Has anyone attempted to change their fresh water impeller on an 240 equipped with an 8.2. Boat only has 60 hours on it but it is a 2012. Has 6-7lbs pressure at idle but want to replace as part of maintenance. Problem is that not even a small child can fit in there and with the Cool Fuel management system you cant even see the pump. Pretty much replacing by feel. Anyone have any tips/tricks for this? Insane how a regular maintenance item is buried so deep and nearly impossible to change. I had my marina take a look and was quoted $660 labor for replacement. His answer for high price "huge engine, tiny space." Going to tackle myself. Should be fun. Would love to talk to one of those merc engineers on this one.

Yeah good luck....

Even on my 31, I have to hang upside down.

I often use a MIRROR to see what I am doing.

The hoses are a B***** to get off, but on a newer boat it might be easier.

only tip is see if you can remove the pump and then get the hoses, IF they've given you enough to work with.

Maybe someone smarter and more mechanical has a better idea, but I've fought with this for years!

I have to hang upside down to replace mine. Have to remove the alternator and oil lube bottle. Wish I would have left the Gen out when I rebuilt the boat, but noooo the wife says it needs to stay. We still don't use it

Yeah yours looks like a bear too. This is what I am working with. Absolutely zero space in front of the motor and you would think by the photo "at least you have plenty of room on the starboard side." But then you run into the cool fuel module which completely blocks the water pump and hoses in its entirety. Also looks like more space on the side of the motor than it actually is. I can stand there but can't bend down. So will basically be doing this all by feel and upside down with some bloody knuckles. Cant wait. Def not changing every season as the Mercury Smart Craft gauges allow me to monitor the water pressure from the impeller. So I will not be changing til I see a drop in pressure.

Don't have a pressure gauge but those sensors fail quite often. They are one of the highest failure items

I have been changing every other season. The issue is some of the blades are under a major flex when motor is not running. I'm going to try this season (just replaced pump with Hardin SS pump, and the impeller) to rotate the pump every 1-2 weeks a quarter turn. Being a serpentine, I plan to remove it and lay on the motor. Then every week of so reach down and give the pump a quarter turn

I think I'll pay to get that done!

On my old 454, I would remove the belt, then the pulley, remove pump mount bolts, pull pump fwd. (I had space to do), mark which hose goes where then detach hoses & remove.

It was a lot easier than I thought, but only because I got lucky. Removed belt, loosened both hose clamps on the back of the pump, removed the two air lines for the one point water drain system, removed two bolts in the back of the pump and one in front behind the pulley. Then miraculously the pump simply fell out of the water hoses and into the bilge. Thank god as there was no room for me to get under engine to try and pry these off. So I dodged the hardest part. Took about two hours from start to finish, only because I was working in 30 second intervals as the job was performed entirely upside down. Impeller was from 2012 with 80 hours on it and looked brand new. No cracking, nothing. So needless to say this will be done every other year.